21 Sep Web companies are fighting in court for the FCC’s net neutrality rules
A top Washington trade group for Internet companies such as Dropbox, Facebook and Netflix is now defending federal regulators in a major court battle over net neutrality, adding a legal brief to the flurry from both sides of the debate.
Arguing that the FCC acted legally when it rolled out strong new rules for broadband companies this year, the Internet Association said Monday that the regulations help protect consumers from Internet providers who control access to the Web. The “friend-of-the-court” filing called for the FCC’s net neutrality order to be fully upheld — endorsing for the first time the legal approach the FCC used to implement its regulations.
“Consumers and innovators will benefit from the Internet openness promoted by the FCC’s net neutrality Order,” it reads.
Opponents of the rules, such as AT&T and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, filed a lawsuit against the agency in April. They’re arguing that the FCC overstepped its authority in designing its net neutrality policy, and are calling for the rules to be overturned by the court.